Catalytic antibodies against cocaine and methods of using and producing same

ABSTRACT

This invention provides compounds which are analogs to the hydrolysis transition-state of a cocaine benzoyl ester group. This invention also provides such analogs linked to carrier proteins, and antibodies thereto. This invention further provides pharmaceutical composition for decreasing concentration in a subject using the antibodies produced.

This application, filed Apr. 2, 1993, and is a continuation-in-part of application U.S. Ser. No. 07/862,801, filed Apr. 3, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,028, issued Oct. 31, 1995 the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Within this application, publications are referenced by arabic numerals within parentheses. Full citations for these publications may be found at the end of each series of experiments. The disclosures of these publications are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.

Cocaine has been used by over 30,000,000 Americans since 1980 and frank addiction afflicts at least 1,700,000(1). The medical and social consequences of this stimulant abuse are well known and range from acute psychoses to cardiac failure and from violent behavior to crack-addicted newborns(2-4). Cocaine-induced disinhibition and an increased propensity for high risk behavior now pose a special peril with the advent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The highly reinforcing nature of stimulants makes this form of substance abuse especially pernicious and despite a variety of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches to treatment, no modality is adequately successful(5,6). The reinforcing potential is clearly related to peak serum concentration(7-9). Also, the rapidity with which the peak is achieved appears critical and may relate to the observation that tolerance to the psychopharmacologic and physiologic effects of cocaine manifests during the course of a single administration(10). The rampaging abuse of crack, a smokeable form of cocaine, likely corresponds in part to its rapid delivery across the lung with an efficiency approaching that of an intravenous injection(1,5). Pharmacokinetics may also explain the propensity for binge use associated with crack smoking(1). An agent that reduced the velocity to and magnitude of peak serum levels would permit this hypothesis to be tested as well as have major therapeutic potential.

The neuropharmacologic approach to treatment has focused on receptor systems such as the dopaminergic pathways that mediate the effects of cocaine(11). A direct antagonist to cocaine is not available but agents such as desipramine show some promise for maintaining abstinence(12,13). However, there is a lag of several weeks in the onset of desipramine's effect and during this induction period a marked potential for recidivism remains(5,14). An agent effective even for just this period could have important clinical applications but at present no such agent exists. An alternative to receptor based approaches would be to interfere with the delivery of cocaine to the central nervous system (CNS) so that a dose of cocaine no longer had a reinforcing behavioral effect. Since there is no prospect for excluding cocaine from the circulation, this approach would require binding of cocaine by a circulating agent.

In the 1970's Schuster and colleagues investigated an immunologic approach to substance abuse based on the possibility of interference with CNS delivery(15). A rhesus monkey was allowed to self-administer heroin to dependence, and then was immunized to an opiate. Despite access to the heroin, the animal no longer self-administered it. The serum anti-opiate antibody titer greatly exceeded the cerebrospinal fluid titer and this localized the antibody effect to the serum. Thus, the association of heroin and circulating heroin antibody must have been sufficiently rapid to block the heroin's effect. However, the limitation of the approach was identified in that continued administration of very high doses of heroin exhausted the pool of circulating antibody and the animal resumed heroin self-administration. Thus, the approach worked in that the antibody effectively bound the drug and did modify behavior but the approach was limited in that the antibody supply was exhaustible. An antibody would need the characteristics of an enzyme to avoid being “depleted” itself as it depleted its target.

Recently, the exciting development of catalytic antibodies has been reported(16,17). Catalytic antibodies not only bind but also act as artificial enzymes which metabolize their target thus freeing the antibody for further binding(18-25). The principles of this startling advance are illustrated by considering the hydrolysis of a carboxylic acid ester by an enzyme. As seen in FIG. 1, hydrolysis of the planar ester commonly proceeds through a tetrahedral intermediate which decomposes to yield alcohol and planar carboxylic acid. The rate of the reaction varies with the magnitude of the activation barrier (ΔG) between the starting ester and the peak or transition state structure. An enzyme's active site contains a pocket that complements the structure of the hydrolysis transition-state and through various binding interactions, the enzyme stabilizes the transition-state relative to the starting material. This differential stabilization decreases ΔG and contributes to catalysis. The transition state corresponds to a particular configuration of atoms and is thought to resemble the definable species closest to it in energy, i.e. the tetrahedral intermediate in the case of ester hydrolysis. The transition state is unstable and evanescent but phosphonate monoesters are stable compounds which resemble this species in geometry and distribution of charge and on this basis, may serve as transition state analogs. An antibody elicited to such an analog will manifest binding interactions complementary to the hydrolysis transition state being modeled. This antibody, by binding to the modeled substrate, will stabilize the transition state relative to the starting state, lower the activation barrier and catalyze the hydrolysis. By binding and destroying its target, the catalytic antibody is then freed to bind an additional target. Ample literature precedent supports the use of catalytic antibodies as artificial enzymes for the hydrolysis of esters(16,17,26-33). Analogs based on An-oxide structure, rather than the phosphonate structure, can also be used to yield catalytic antibodies.

Of all the commonly abused substances, cocaine is the best candidate for this approach (SCHEME I). Attached to the ecgonine nucleus of cocaine is a benzoyl ester group which when hydrolyzed results in a virtually inactive product(35,36)—this is one of the pathways of deactivating metabolism in humans(35,36). The transition state of that reaction resembles the tetrahedral intermediate of hydrolysis and can be mimicked by a suitably designed phosphonate ester analog of the hydrolysis transition state of the cocaine benzoyl ester. A subpopulation of the antibodies elicited by this cocaine analog will function as esterases highly specific for cocaine. Thus, the principal impediment to the immunologic approach suggested two decades earlier—the exhaustibility of the circulating antibody—could be overcome. The anti-cocaine catalytic antibody generated

in this fashion would destroy cocaine and be itself available for continued function. The application of such a reagent antibody to the problem of chronic cocaine abuse would be to deprive the abuser of the reinforcing effect of the drug, thereby providing a window for appropriate psychosocial and relapse prevention interventions, and promoting extinction of the addiction.

Only a subpopulation of anti-analog antibodies will possess catalytic activity, so the production of a monoclonal antibody and passive immunization of subjects is required(37,38). Monoclonal antibodies have become established pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of organ transplant rejection(39) and Gram negative septicemia(40). Passive immunization with an anti-cocaine catalytic monoclonal antibody appears to be practical in clinical terms. Second is the duration of effectiveness. The currently available monoclonal pharmaceuticals are administered daily since, as these antibodies bind, the antibody-antigen complexes are removed from the circulation. In contrast, a monoclonal antibody functioning as an artificial enzyme could be designed for longevity(41)—the Fc portion of the antibody genetically engineered for a low clearance rate and portions of the antibody “humanized” by substitution of human in place of mouse epitopes to reduce antigenicity and clearance by a host immune response(42,43). Ideally an administration of an artificial enzyme against cocaine would last for several weeks and provide the extended coverage important for populations with a record of poor compliance.

Third, the efficacy of an artificial enzyme against cocaine relies on a kinetic argument that the rate of cocaine destruction will be able to match the rate of delivery to the CNS. In order to specify the kinetic requirements for the anti-cocaine catalytic antibody, a kinetic model of cocaine delivery is needed. If a dose of smoked crack is absorbed across the lung over the 90-120 second period of one circulation of the intravascular volume (the volume of distribution for the antibody) then an even mixing of cocaine and antibody pools may be assumed. The volume of distribution of cocaine is over twice the total body water(44), but we may neglect this since partitioning of cocaine into other compartments would only decrease on antibody activity. From the moment of cocaine and antibody mixing in the lung, approximately fifteen to twenty seconds elapse before cocaine reaches the CNS capillaries and the most stringent criterion would require complete destruction of cocaine by that time. For a large 100 mg dose (0.36 mmoles) and complete hydrolysis in 15 seconds, the required rate. is 0.023 mmol/sec. Thus, the product of the quantity of enzymatic antibody and the antibody's intrinsic enzymatic turnover rate must exceed this value. The assumptions in this model are uniformly conservative and if liberalized would decrease the demand on enzyme performance accordingly. Thus at a monoclonal dose of 200 mg (the monoclonal HA-1A(40) is dosed at 100 mg) the required turnover-rate would be on the order of 2 sec⁻¹ to 20 sec⁻¹. Catalytic antibodies have been reported with esterase turnover rates from 20-40 sec¹ and although these esterases were directed toward particularly susceptible target esters, activity of this order of magnitude is possible(20,29). Also, the K_(m) values for artificial esterases are as low as 2-15 μM(20,31) less than likely pulmonary venous concentrations of cocaine from crack inhalation. We conclude that the kinetic requirements for a clinically useful anti-cocaine catalytic antibody are attainable. An added advantage is that an antibody suitable for the treatment of addiction by the above criteria could be suitable for the treatment of acute overdose. A final concern is the possibility of saturating the enzyme with massive dosages of cocaine. However, the reinforcing effect of cocaine may not be as significant if peak serum levels are reached more gradually and the large dose of crack may be blunted in effect to a weak dose of nasal cocaine hydrochloride. Thus, the protection afforded by an anti-cocaine enzymatic antibody may not need to be complete in order to be useful.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a compound having the structure:

wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₃, or R₄ is independently hydrogen, or a lower alkyl; or wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is an azide lower alkyl group, a lower alkyl amine, a group comprising a lower alkyl group linked to a lower alkyl carboxylic acid or derivative, with each of the remaining two of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is independently hydrogen or a lower alkyl and R₄ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or a negative charge.

The present invention provides a compound having the structure:

The present invention provides the compound having the structure:

This invention also provides the compound having the structure:

This invention also provides a compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.

This invention further provides the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.

This invention also provides the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.

This invention also provides the compound having the structure:

wherein R′ is O or CH2 and R is a hydrocarbon chain or a series of hydrocarbon linked by amide, ester or other functional group, capable of linking to a carrier protein.

This invention also provide the compound having the structure:

wherein R is a hydrocarbon chain or a series of hydrocarbon linked by amide, ester or other functional group, capable of linking to a carrier protein.

This invention also provides the compound having the structure:

wherein R is a hydrocarbon chain or a series of hydrocarbon linked by amide, ester or other functional group, capable of linking to a carrier protein.

This invention also provides a compound having structure:

wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₃, or R₄ is independently hydrogen, or a lower alkyl; or wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is a lower alkyl azide group, a lower alkyl amine, a group comprising a lower alkyl group linked to a lower alkyl carboxylic acid or derivative, with each of the remaining two of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is independently hydrogen or a lower alkyl and R₄ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or a negative charge.

This invention further provides the above-described compounds linked to a carrier protein.

This invention also provides an antibody against the above-described compounds. This invention further provides the genes which are coding for the antibodies against the above-described compounds.

This invention also provides a human chimeric antibody and human monoclonal antibody against the above-described compounds.

This invention further provides a pharmaceutical composition for decreasing the concentration of cocaine in a subject's blood which comprises an amount of the antibody against the above-described compounds effective to decrease the concentration of cocaine in the subject and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 The kinetic model of the hydrolysis of a caroxylic acid ester. Hydrolysis of the planar ester proceeds through an evanescent tetrahedral intermediate which decomposes to yield alcohol and planar carboxylic acid. The rate of this reaction varies with the magnitude of the difference of the energy states (ΔG) of the starting ester and the peak or transition state structure. The effective catalyst reduces the ΔG of a reaction and thereby increases the rate of reaction.

FIG. 2A. Hydrolysis of the benzoyl ester of cocaine. Presumed tetrahedral intermediate formed along the reaction pathway is shown.

FIG. 2B. General structure of a phosphonate monoester analog of the benzoyl ester. The R substituent for 1a (analog 3) corresponds to the tether depicted in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 Synthesis of transition-state analog 1a (analog 3). Reagents and conditions: a, I-(CH₂)₄N₃, (CH₃)₄NOH, dimethylformamide (DMF), CH₃OH 50° C. (92% yield); b, PhP(O)Cl₂, tetrazole (0.1 eq), benzene, diisopropylethylamine room temperature (rt) then MeOH (80% yield); c, P(CH₃)₃, tetrahydrofuran (THF)/CH₃OH/H₂O (9:9:2) rt (62% yield); d, ¹⁴C-succinic anhydride (2.2 mCi/mmol), THF, rt (purified as benzylester, regenerated with H₂/Pd on C, yield ^(˜)50%); e, dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, N-hydroxyphthalimide, DMF, rt (85% yield); f, (CH₃)₃SiBr, CDCl₃, rt (unstable, ^(˜)90% yield); g, bovine serum album (coupling ratio 1:6) or ovalbumin (coupling ratio 1:15). No epimerization was observed at C-2 of the tropane nucleus by 300 MHz ¹H-nmr.

FIG. 4 Lineweaver-Burke plot of (1/V) as a function of (1/[S]) for hydrolysis of ³H_(phenyl)-cocaine by mAb 3B9 (closed circles) and mAb 6A12 (open circles). Artificial enzyme (2 μM) in phosphate buffered saline was incubated with ³H-cocaine at five concentrations between 100 μM and 2000 μM. At 10 min intervals, aliquots were acidified with cold HCL (aq) to final pH2, partitioned with CH₂Cl₂ and the organic phase was assayed by scintillation counting The optimal pH was determined and employed for each enzyme: 3B9 pH7.7 and 6A12 pH7.0. Background hydrolysis was determined in otherwise identical reactions without antibody and observed rates were corrected. Uncatalyzed hydrolysis rates were determined under similar conditions. Assays were performed in triplicate and standard error limits are indicated by brackets. (3B9 r=0.99; 6A12 r=0.98).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a compound having the structure:

wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₃, or R₄ is independently hydrogen, or a lower alkyl; or wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂ or R₃ is a lower alkyl azide group, a lower alkyl amine, a group comprising a lower alkyl group linked to a lower alkyl caboxylic acid or derivative, with each of the remaining two of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is independently hydrogen or a lower alkyl and R₄ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or a negative charge.

The invention further provides examples of this compound which include but are not limited to the following:

The invention further provides that one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃ has the structure:

wherein A is a lower alkyl group and X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.

The invention provides for a compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.

The invention further provides a method of synthesizing this compound comprising selectively alkylating:

with 4-iodo-n-butyl azide, in the presence of tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide, to yield:

to which was added sequentially an equivalent of phenylphosphonic dicloride and methanol, in the presence of 1H-tetrazole, to obtain:

which was subsequently reduced with trimethyl phosphine in benzene to obtain:

which was acylated with succinic anhydride to obtain:

which was converted by acylation with N-hydroxyphthalimide in combination with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide to:

which was selectively dealkylated to:

which was coupled to the primary amine of a carrier protein.

The invention provides for a compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein. The invention provides a method of synthesizing this compound comprising starting with the structure:

with this acid esterified with acidic methanol and reduced with Dibal to the corresponding alcohol. The alcohol was protected with t-butyldimethylsilyl chloride under imidazole catalysis to yield A:

from the starting alcohol. This was transmetalated with n-butyl lithium to the following Lithium B:

and this structure was phosphorylated with diethylchlorophosphate to yield C:

the silyl group of (C) was removed with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride to yield the corresponding alcohol in 62% yield from (B). This alcohol was transformed to the bromide via tosylate; the phosphonate ester was converted from ethyl to methyl via bromotrimethylsilane followed by methanol; the bromide was displaced by azide; and finally the phosphonate ester was transformed to the phosphorylchloride with the following structure D:

This was in an approximately 30% yield. Using the tetrazole catalysis method, this structure D was coupled with methyl ecgonine:

followed by methanol to yield the mixed diester E in 30% yield after column chromatography, having the following structure:

The azide of E was reduced to the corresponding amine with triphenylphosphine and coupled to ¹⁴C labeled succinic anhydride. The resulting acid was converted to its benzyl ester to facilitate column chromatography in 65% yield from E. The benzyl ester was removed by catalytic hydrogenation, activated by DCC esterification with N-hydroxyphthalimide. Finally, the phosphonate was demethylated with bromotrimethylsilane and the product used directly for coupling to carrier proteins including bovine serum albumin or ovalbumin.

The invention provides for a compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.

This invention also provides a compound having the structure:

wherein R is a

 or other aromatic substitute.

This invention further provides a compound having the structure:

wherein R′ is O or CH2 and R is a hydrocarbon chain or a series of hydrocarbon linked by amide, ester or other functional group, capable of linking to a carrier protein.

This invention also provides a compound having the structure:

wherein R is a hydrocarbon chain or a series of hydrocarbon linked by amide, ester or other functional group, capable of linking to a carrier protein.

This invention provides a compound having the structure:

wherein R is a hydrocarbon chain or a series of hydrocarbon linked by amide, ester or other functional group, capable of linking to a carrier protein.

This invention provides a compound having the structure:

wherein R is a hydrocarbon chain or a series of hydrocarbon linked by amide, ester or other functional group, capable of linking to a carrier protein.

This invention provides a compound having structure:

wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₃, or R₄ is independently hydrogen, or a lower alkyl; or wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is a lower alkyl azide group, a lower alkyl amine, a group comprising a lower alkyl group linked to a lower alkyl carboxylic acid or derivative, with each of the remaining two of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is independently hydrogen or a lower alkyl and R₄ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or a negative charge.

This invention also provides the above-described compounds linked to a carrier protein wherein the carrier protein is bovine serum albumin, bovine serum ovalbumin, keyhole limpet hemocyanin or thyroglobulin.

As stated herein, carrier proteins are well-known to an ordinary skilled artisan. Any protein which may help to facilitate to induce an immune response are meant to be covered by this invention. Typical carrier proteins are stated in the above such as bovine serum albumin.

This invention provides antibodies against the above-described compound. One utility of these antibodies is to detect the intermediates of cocaine formed in a subject. The other utility of these antibodies is to serve as starting materials for generation of high affinity antibodies for pharmaceutical uses.

This invention further provides antibodies against the above-described compounds, which upon binding to an intermediate of the hydrolysis transition-site of a cocaine benzoyl ester group decreases the ΔG of the hydrolysis reaction.

Generally, an antibody comprises two molecules, each molecule having two different polypeptides, the shorter of which is the light chain and the longer is the heavy chain.

A fragment of a naturally occcuring or recombinant antibody molecule is encompassed within the scope of this invention. A Fab protein or a F(ab)′ protein which exhibits immunoreactive activity is part of this invention.

Methods to generate antibodies against chemical compounds are well-known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

One method is to link the compound to a carrier protein and immunize animal with such a linked compound. Sera from the animals may then be tested for the antibody produced against the compound.

This invention further provides monoclonal antibody against the above-described compounds. Methods to generate monoclonal antibodies are well-known to an ordinary skilled artisan.

In an embodiment, the monoclonal antibody is produced by a hybridoma, 3B9, having ATCC Accession No. HB 11313. This hybridoma cell line, 3B9 was deposited on Mar. 31, 1993 with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852, U.S.A. under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty for the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganism for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. The hybridoma cell line 3B9 was accorded ATCC Accession number HB 11313.

In another embodiment, the monoclonal antibody is produced by a hybridoma, 6A12, having ATCC Accession No. HB 11314. This hybridoma cell line, 6A12 was deposited on Mar. 31, 1993 with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852, U.S.A. under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty for the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganism for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. The hybridoma cell line 6A12 was accorded ATCC Accession number HB 11314.

As an alternative method to generate the desirable antibody, genes which code for the heavy chain and light chain of the antibody may be isolated. Both genes may be co-expressed in an host vector system to produce the desirable antibody.

Standard methods are available in the art to obtain gene coding for the heavy and light chain of a monoclonal antibody.

This invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the light chain protein of the monoclonal antibody against the above-described compounds. In an embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule is DNA. In another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule is cDNA.

This invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the heavy chain protein of the monoclonal antibody against the above-described compounds. In an embodiment of this isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the heavy chain protein of the monoclonal antibody, the molecule is DNA. In a further embodiment, it is a cDNA.

This invention further provides a vector comprising the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the light chain protein of the monoclonal antibody operably linked to a promoter of RNA transcription.

This invention also provides a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule encoding the heavy chain protein of the monoclonal antibody operably linked to a promoter of RNA transcription.

This invention also provides a host vector system comprising the above-described vectors in a suitable host cell. The suitable host of this host vector system may be a bacterial cell, insect cell, or animal cell.

There are other suitable host cell known in the art such as bacterial cells (such as E.coli), yeast cells, fungal cells, insect cells and animal cells. Suitable animal cells include, but are not limited to Vero cells, HeLa cells, Cos cells, CV1 cells and various primary mammalian cells.

The affinity of a specific antibody may be improved by changing the amino acid residue of the antibody molecule. Site-directed mutagenesis may be performed to achieve that.

In addition, improvement of the affinity of the antibody may be acheived by generating composite antibody consisting of the heavy chain of the anti-analog antibody and a metal-binding light chain. The affinity of new monoclonal antibody generated may be examined and the monoclonal antibody with better affinity will be selected.

This invention further provides a human chimeric antibody against the above-described compound. There are known standard methods to produce such human chimeric antibody. one approach is to link the variable region of the monoclonal antibody with the human Fc region.

This invention further provides human monoclonal antibodies. Methods to make human monoclonal antibodies are known in the art.

This invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition for decreasing the concentration of cocaine in a subject's blood which comprises an amount of the above-described antibody effective to decrease the concentration of cocaine in the subject and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In an embodiment of the pharmaceutical composition, the antibody is a human chimeric antibody.

For the purposes of this invention “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” means any of the standard pharmaceutical carrier. Examples of suitable carriers are well known in the art and may include, but not limited to, any of the standard pharmaceutical vehicles such as a phosphate buffered saline solutions phosphate buffered saline containing Polysorb 80, water, emulsions such as oil/water emulsion, and various type of wetting agents.

The invention further provides that the carrier protein is bovine serum albumin, bovine serum ovalbumin, keyhole limpet hemocyanin or thyroglobulin.

The invention further provides antibodies which upon binding to an intermediate of the hydrolysis transition-site of a cocaine benzoyl ester group decreases the ΔG of the hydrolysis reaction. Preferably the antibody is a monoclonal antibody.

The invention further provides a method of decreasing the concentration of cocaine in a subject's blood which comprises administering to the subject an amount of an antibody effective to catalyze hydrolysis of cocaine and thereby reduce the concentration of cocaine in the subject's blood. Preferably the antibody is administered intravenously, yet it is speculated that it can be administered intramuscularly.

This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for treating cocaine overdose in a subject which comprises an amount of at least one of the above-described antibodies effective to decrease the concentration of cocaine in the subject and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

This invention further provides a method for treating cocaine overdose in a subject which comprises administering to the subject an amount of at least one of the above-described antibodies effective to catalyze hydrolysis of cocaine and thereby reduce cocaine overdose in the subject.

This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for treating cocaine addiction in a subject by diminishing an achievable concentration of cocaine which comprises an amount of at least one of the above-described antibodies effective to diminish the achievable concentration of cocaine in the subject.

This invention provides a method for treating cocaine addiction in a subject by diminishing the achievable concentration of cocaine which comprises administering to the subject an amount of at least one of the above-described antibodies effective to catalyze the hydrolysis of cocaine and thereby diminish the achievable concentration of cocaine in the subject.

This invention further provides a method of identifying an antibody with hydrolytic activity against the benzoyl ester linkage of cocaine which comprises (a) contacting the antibody with radioactive cocaine labelled at the benzoly group in a reaction mixture under conditions permitting the release of the radioactively labelled benzoly group; (b) separating the released radioactively labelled benzoly group from the radioactive cocaine; (c) determining the radioactivity of the released benzoly group; and (d) comparing the radioactivity determined at step (c) with the radioactivity released in a reaction mixture where no antibody is added, the higher radioactivity at step c indicating the hydrolytic activity of the antibody against the benzoyl ester linkage of cocaine.

In an embodiment, step (b) comprises acidifying the reaction mixture to an extend that the released radioactively labelled benzoly group from the cocaine will be extracted into the organic phase and the cocaine will be in the aqueous phase and extracting the mixture with an organic solvent, thereby separating the released radioactively labelled benzoly group into the organic solvent.

Finally, this invention provides a method of determining the specificity of an antibody with hydrolytic activity against the benzoyl ester linkage of cocaine to an analog which comprises:(a) contacting an antibody with the analog to the hydrolysis transition-state of the cocaine benzoyl ester group in a reaction mixture under conditions permitting the binding of antibody and the analog;(b) adding cocaine radioactively labelled at the benzoly group into the reaction mixture and modifying the conditions to permit the release of the radioactively labelled benzoly group separating the released radioactively labelled benzoly group from the cocaine, if the conditions of step (a) do not permit the release; (c) determining the radioactivity of the released benzoly group; and (d) comparing the radioactivity determined at step (c) with the radioactivity released in a reaction mixture where no antibody is added, a similar radioactivity indicating that the antibody is specific to the analog.

This invention is illustrated in the Methods and Materials section which follows. This section is set forth to and in an understanding of the invention but is not intended to, and should not be construed to, limit in any way the invention as set forth in the claims which follow thereafter.

FIRST SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS Materials and Methods

1. New Synthetic Method for Phosphonate Monoesters

Hydrolysis of cocaine at either the methyl ester or benzoyl ester yields products that are relatively inactive biologically. Serum and hepatic esterases utilize both metabolic routes and less than 10% of a cocaine dose is excreted unchanged in the urine. The analogs to the hydrolysis of the benzoyl ester are of greater interest since its large hydrophobic phenyl group, as opposed to the small methyl group of the methyl ester, would be more likely to have a significant binding interaction with a complementary binding site of the antibody, and would thus be more likely to elicit an active enzyme. In Scheme II, the hydrolysis of the benzoyl ester of cocaine occurs via a tetrahedral intermediate 1 which can be modeled by the phosphonate monoester 2 and the first objective was the construction

of the phosphonate ester linkage. Ecgonine and phenylphosphonic dichloride seemed convenient commercially available starting materials, but none of the literature procedures for the synthesis of phosphonate monoesters was applicable to a hindered, that is, sterically hindered, alcohol such as ecgonine. Phosphonate monoesters are usually protected during synthesis in the form of mixed diesters and revealed by selective dealkylation in the final stages of the work. However, the mixed diesters are best obtained through a multi-step procedure via phosphite intermediates,(45) since their simple preparation through the sequential addition of different alcohols to the phosphonic dichloride provide mixtures of products. (46) Hindered alcohols such as menthol(47) react with phosphonic dichlorides very poorly, yielding only about 5% menthyl phosphonic chloride, and under forcing conditions produce corresponding alkyl halide as the major product. Alkoxides of secondary alcohols will react with phosphonic dichlorides(48) or dimethyl phosphonates(49) but yields are variable (15-55%) and the ecgonine nucleus is labile to strong base. All of the above methods were tried with ecgonine and with ecgonine alkyl esters but no more than trace amounts of the desired phosphonate ester were obtained. In order to alter the nature of the reacting species and potentially minimize side reactions, we investigated the coupling of alcohols and phosphonic dichlorides in the presence of catalysts similar to those used for acyl chloride esterification (50). Neither imidazole nor pyridine had an effect on the ease or course of reaction. However, a catalytic amount of 1H-tetrazole was found to increase the rate of phosphorylation and eliminate conversion of alcohol to alkyl halide.

In a model study, the sequential addition of one Scheme III

equivalent of cyclohexanol and one equivalent of methanol to phenylphosphonic dichloride produced substantial amounts of all three phosphonate diesters(46), confirming that alkyl phosphoryl chlorides are not adequately less reactive than the starting dichlorides. However, in the presence of 1H-tetrazole, the mixed diester was obtained exclusively in 90% yield. Even if both alcohols were primary, the symmetrical diesters were reduced to negligible amounts. Thus 1H-tetrazole enhances the reactivity of the phosphonic dichloride, probably by nucleophilic catalysis, but less effectively catalyzes reaction of the alkyl phosphoryl chloride, perhaps due to increased steric requirements. In conclusion, the tetrazole catalysis method constitutes a simple, high yield route to mixed phosphonate diesters of hindered alcohols. Selective mono-dealkylation would then yield the desired phosphonate mono-ester transition-state analog. All new compounds were satisfactorily analyzed by ¹H-nmr (200 MHz), infrared and mass spectroscopy with exact mass measurement.

2. Desian and Synthesis of Transition State Analogs of Cocaine Hydrolyses.

The phosphonate ester analog of cocaine hydrolysis specified in Scheme II was only a general structure. Since small molecules do not typically elicit an antibody response, a site for attachment to a carrier protein was required. A point of attachment was chosen based on the ease of synthesis and on sufficient separation from the anticipated locus of hydrolysis. However, the effect of the site of attachment on antigenicity, not to mention catalytic activity, cannot be predicted and the need for several alternatives was anticipated. Our first objective was the compound 3 in Scheme IV since the methyl ester carbonyl of cocaine, although hindered, could be easily modified under relatively mild conditions:

A variety of synthetic schemes were undertaken but analog 3 was ultimately obtained as outlined in Scheme 5. The readily available starting material, ecgonine, was selectively alkylated with 4-iodo-n-butyl azide in the presence of tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide to obtain the ecgonine ester 4 in 92% yield. This hindered secondary alcohol was thus poised for the mixed phosphonic diester synthesis. Commercially available phenyl phosphonic dichloride reacted cleanly under tetrazole catalysis with the alcohol of 4 and after stirring at RT overnight the reaction mixture was quenched with methanol.

The mixed phosphonate diester 5 was obtained in 80% yield after chromatography on silica gel with methanol as eluent. Thus, the essential core of the transition state analog, protected as the phosphonic diester, was in hand. We completed the side chain for attachment to a carrier protein in three steps. The azide of 5 was reduced with trimethylphosphine in benzene to obtain amine 6 in 82% yield. Amine 6 was then acylated with succinic anhydride. Finally, in anticipation of coupling to a carrier protein, the resulting carboxylic acid 7 was converted to the activated ester 8 by acylation with N-hydroxyphthalimide through the coupling action of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in 85% yield.

With the phosphonate diester 8 in hand, completion of the synthesis only required selective dealkylation of the methyl phosphonate ester group and coupling of the resulting phosphonate monoester to the 1° amines of a carrier protein. We found the dealkylated product 9 to be unstable but once stabilized by attachment to carrier protein, spectroscopic methods can no longer be used to assess structural integrity. Thus, to demonstrate that dealkylation did not otherwise disrupt the molecule, one aliquot of diester 8 was dealkylated with bromotrimethylsilane and quenched with benzylamine and one aliquot was quenched with benzylamine and then dealkylated. Each path yielded the same product by silica gel thin layer chromatography and ¹Hnmr spectroscopy suggesting that the dealkylation method was satisfactory. Therefore, the phosphonate 8 was dealkylated with 1.0 equivalent of bromotrimethylsilane in solvent. After 30 min, the reaction mixture containing 9 was evaporated and taken up in a pH8 phosphate buffered solution of bovine serum albumin (1 mg/ml) at 0° C. The reaction mixture was then subjected to gel filtration chromatography and then dialyzed overnight to yield the desired analog 3. Using ¹⁴C-labeled succinic anhydride, a radiolabeled ester 9 was synthesized and based on the incorporation of ¹⁴C label into 3, the coupling ratio of analog was thus suitable for immunization.

3. Development of Monoclonal Antibodies Against a Transition State Analog Cocaine Hydrolysis.

Six Balb/C mice were immunized with the analog-carrier 3 (1a) by both subcutaneous (30 μg) and intraperitoneal (120 μg) routes. Initial immunization was performed with 1:1 Freund's complete adjuvant and boosting injections were administered with incomplete adjuvant at two week intervals. The animals were phlebotomized (200 μL) on day 14 post boost and the plasma was separated from clot and stored at −78° C. For an Eliza assay of the sera, activated cocaine analog used in the immunization was coupled to ovalbumin which has no cross-immunoreactivity with bovine serum albumin. The efficiency of ligand to carrier coupling was 6:1 based on ¹⁴C label incorporation. Plastic 96 well plates were coated with ovalbumin, coupled to analog (4 μg/well) and incubated with dilutions of serum. Goat anti-mouse IgG coupled to horseradish peroxidase was used as the secondary antibody and indicator. Appropriate negative controls included ovalbumin without ligand, non-immune test serum, omission of the test serum and omission of the secondary antibody.

By the third boost, several mice had developed antibody titers of 1:3000. One of these was chosen for hybridoma preparation and boosted by tail vein injection (50 μg, without adjuvant). On day 5 post boost, the animal was sacrificed and the spleen was removed and minced through a mesh screen. The suspension of splenocytes was centrifuged and resuspended, and a portion was assessed using trypan blue dye. Myeloma cells, maintained several days before fusion in complete medium without 8-azaguanine, were washed and combined at a ratio of 1 to 2 with the splenocytes and centrifuged. PEG 1500 was added gently and after an interval, serum free buffer was added in aliquots. The mixture was centrifuged, resuspended and plated on feeder macrophages in complete medium with HAT. Hybridoma colonies were evident by day 5 post fusion. The medium was changed at intervals and on day 15, with colonies confluent, the medium was assayed by Eliza for anti-analog antibodies. Ten positive colonies were identified and plated to limiting dilution. Seven monoclonals were obtained and samples were obtained and subtyped. None of the anti-analog monoclonals reacted on Elisa with analog-free albumin from mouse or human. Samples were cryopreserved in liquid N₂. Repetition of the fusion procedure with a second mouse yielded 23 clones positive for anti-analog antibody.

4. Identification of Monoclonal Antibodies with Hydrolytic Activity Against Cocaine.

A simple method was devised to screen the monoclonal antibodies for hydrolytic activity against the benzoyl ester linkage of cocaine. Hydrolysis of cocaine at this linkage yields methyl ecgonine and benzoic acid. Acidification of an artificially constituted hydrolysis mixture containing cocaine, methyl ecgonine and benzoic acid with aqueous HCl to pH2, followed by addition of the immiscible organic solvent CH₂Cl₂ resulted in partitioning of the charged cocaine hydrochloride into the aqueous phase and the neutral benzoic acid into the organic phase. Adding ¹⁴C-benzoic acid to

the mixture and using scintillation counting of the partition phases, we estimated the efficiency of the partitioning was estimated to be greater than 97%. ¹⁴C-(aromatic)-cocaine, which we synthesized from methyl ecgonine and ¹⁴C-benzoic acid via dicyclohexylcarbodiimide coupling, partitioned into the aqueous phase with similar efficiency. When ¹⁴C-(aromatic)-cocaine was incubated with a commercial esterase (Sigma) the progress of the reaction could be followed by acidifying aliquots of the reaction mixture, partitioning and counting. In the absence of esterase, the extent of spontaneous hydrolysis in phosphate buffer pH 8.0 at 37° was less than 5% after 12 hrs. Also note that were the methyl ester to spontaneously hydrolyze, then the ¹⁴C-labeled product, benzoyl ecgonine, would be partitioned into the aqueous phase as the hydrochloride salt and would not appear in the organic phase with ¹⁴C-benzoic acid. Thus, there is no possibility of artifact related to this side reaction.

In order to prepare adequate quantities of the IgG monoclonal antibodies for the enzymatic assay, we prepared malignant ascites. For each line, 2×10⁶ hybridoma cells were placed into a mouse peritoneum which had been pretreated with pristane. After adequate ascites developed, the mice were sacrificed. The ascites was drained and a sample subjected to electrophoresis to assess antibody production. For inadequate responders, the intraperitoneal tumors were minced and injected into a second mouse peritoneum. In the enzyme screen, 250 μL of the each ascites was incubated at 37° C. with 250 μL of 50 mM Na phosphate pH 8.0 containing 1 mM ¹⁴C(aromatic)-cocaine. After 8 hrs. (an extended period since the quantity of antibody was unknown) an aliquot from each was acidified, extracted with CH²Cl² and the extract was washed with aqueous acid. Each fraction was subjected to scintillation counting. One of the ascites (1C1-A12) was positive and a representative experiment is shown below in Table I.

TABLE I Control 8B8-G4 962-H2 1C1-A12 aq H+ 2908.0 2262.0 2226.0 286.0 wash 170.0 196.0 196.0 94.0 organic 184.0 190.0 212.0 1496.0

In contrast to a control without antibody and in contrast to reaction mixtures containing monoclonals 8B8-G4 and 9G2-H2, the reaction containing monoclonal 1C1-A12 resulted in the transfer of counts to the organic phase indicative of cocaine hydrolysis with liberation of benzoic acid. Since the ascites containing 1C1-A12 was non-hemorrhagic and uninfected and since the ascites with 8B8-G4 and 9G2-H2 failed to show esterase activity, mAB 1C1-A12 was likely to be a cocaine benzoyl esterase. Purification of the monoclonal antibody is required to characterize the enzymatic activity and confirm these results.

The experimental data support the methods and the feasibility of the development and evaluation of highly active enzymatic antibodies against cocaine. While the kinetic requirements for an artificial enzyme need not be as stringent for in vivo testing as for clinical use, we nonetheless cannot rely on the first two analogs, not to mention the first catalytic antibody, to be adequate and the literature supports this caution.

5. Organic Chemistry: Design and Synthesis of Transition-state Analogs.

Identifying optimally active catalytic antibodies is a matter of chance and therefore additional analogs may be necessary. Antibodies elicited to the transition-state analog may vary in activity depending on the site of attachment to carrier protein and so the synthesize of additional analogs with an alternative site of attachment to a carrier may be necessary. Variations in the analog structure may elicit antibodies with higher esterase activity against the target and one may synthesize a variety of phenyl-substituted cocaine analogs to investigate the possibility. One may also synthesize novel transition-state analogs that promote intramolecular general acid-base catalysis.

6. Biochemistry: Characterization of Artificial Enzymes Against Cocaine.

With two analogs, and others one may synthesize, one may generate monoclonal anti-analog antibodies, study the K_(m) and the turnover rate of these enzymes to define the practical kinetic limits for this enzymatic reaction and to select candidates for in vivo testing and assess the substrate specificity of these artificial enzymes.

7. Physiology: Investigation of in vivo Effects of Artificial Enzymes Against Cocaine.

Monoclonal antibodies, selected for activity in vitro, may be prepared and in vivo studies performed in mouse and in rat. One may (i) assess antibody toxicity; (ii) investigate the dose-response relationship for catalytic antibody modification of the direct effects of cocaine administration such as stereotype.

8. Design and Synthesis of Transition-state Analogs

Literature precedent and the above data support the phosphonate monoester transition-state analog 3 yielding several more catalytic antibodies with hydrolytic activity against cocaine. However, higher activity antibodies may be sought and the rate of success for this search has an element of chance. This stems from the fact that antibodies are elicited to an analog based on the overall antibody-antigen binding affinity whereas catalytic activity requires a much more specific array of binding interactions. A given antibody may bind well and yet lack the full array of interactions needed for strong catalysis. Also, catalytic antibodies that act only by stabilizing the transition state are limited in their rate acceleration (k_(cat)/k_(uncat)) to the relative binding affinity of antibody for transition-state (or T.S. analog) vs substrate (≈K_(m)/K₁) (26). Therefore, in the absence of fortuitous acid-base or covalent catalysis, k_(cat)/k_(uncat) will be low (10³-10⁴) and k_(cat) and k_(m) will vary (undesirably) in the same direction. Since our kinetic specifications are demanding, we will attempt to increase the odds of rapidly identifying high activity antibodies by synthesizing and employing additional transition-state analogs. These analogs will be constructed along three lines: (1) use of alternate sites of attachment to carrier proteins; (ii) chemical modifications in the acyl portion of the analog, and (iii) novel transition-state analogs that promote intramolecular acid-base catalysis and could serve as a model for a new generation of transition state analogs.

(i) Alternate Site of Analog Attachment.

The site of attachment on a small molecule to carrier protein affects the antigenicity of the immunogen and specificity in the elicited antibodies. Of particular concern for generating catalytic antibodies, the use of a site on the analog for attachment to carrier protein precludes eliciting antibodies that bind across that site on the actual substrate. For example, the methyl ester of cocaine would be unlikely to occupy a deep binding pocket in an antibody elicited by 3 in Scheme VII.

To increase the range of elicited antibodies, we have constructed an analog with alternate sites of attachments including an analog attached at the 4′ position of the cocaine aromatic ring 10 and one may construct an analog attached at the cocaine nitrogen analog 11. Each of these new analogs exposes a different surface which has the possibility of eliciting an antibody with the array of binding interactions necessary for hydrolysis. Analog 10 derived from methyl ecgonine and a suitably functionalized phenyl phosphonic dichloride via our tetrazole catalysis procedure. Appropriate reorganization of functional groups yielded the carrier-bound analog as outlined in Scheme VIII.

The transition-state analog 10 was prepared by the route depicted in Scheme VIII. Thus, the commercially available starting material, p-tromophenylacetic acid was esterified with acidic methanol and reduced with Dibal to the corresponding alcohol. The alcohol was protected with t-butyldimethylsilyl chloride under imidazole catalysis to yield A in 86% yield from the starting alcohol. Bromide B was transmetalated with n-butyl lithium and phosphorylated with diethylchlorophosphate to yield C. The silyl group of C was removed with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride to yield the corresponding alcohol in 62% yield from B. This alcohol was transformed to the bromide via the tosylate; the phosphonate ester was converted from ethyl to methyl via bromotrimethyl silane followed by methanol; the bromide was displaced by azide; and finally the phosphonate ester was transformed to the phosphorylchloride D all in approximately 30% yield. Using the tetrazole catalysis method chloride D was coupled with methyl ecgonine followed by methanol to yield the mixed diester E in 30% yield after column chromatography. The azide of E was reduced to the corresponding amine with triphenylphosphine and coupled to ¹⁴C labeled succinic anhydride. The resulting acid was converted to its benzyl ester to facilitate column chromatography in 65% yield from E. The benzyl ester was removed by catalytic hydrogenation, and it was activated by DCC esterification with N-hydroxyphthalimide.

Finally, the phosphonate was demethylated with bromotrimethylsilane and the product used directly for coupling to carrier protein including bovine serum albumin or ovalbumin. Based on the incorporation of radiolabels, the ligand to carrier coupling ratio was approximately 5 to 1.

N-alkylation of a nor-N-methyl ecgonine derivative, either before or after tetrazole catalyzed conversion of the alcohol group to a phosphonate ester, would yield an intermediate easily converted to 11. We would hope to achieve monoalkylation, rather than dialkylation to the quaternary ammonium salt, based on model assessments of steric hinderance but if necessary, we will use a deactivating alkylator such as an α-haloamide.

With analogs 3, 10 and 11—all examples of the proven phosphonate monoester strategy for designing transition state analogs—we might expect to eventually obtain the desired high activity enzyme. However, to accelerate this search and to investigate new approaches to transition-state analog design, we will explore additional strategies.

(ii) Acyl Modification, Substrate Attenuation and “Bait and Switch” Strategies.

Phosphonate monoester transition-state analogs are typically modeled closely to the structure of the target ester in order to maximize non-covalent binding interactions, and presumably catalytic activity, in the elicited antibodies. However, esterolysis by a catalytic antibody has been demonstrated in one instance to proceed through an acylated antibody intermediate whose hydrolysis was rate-limiting (20). In such a circumstance, structural differences between analog and substrate can increase the overall rate of ester hydrolysis by destabilizing the acyl-antibody intermediate. The general principle of substrate attenuation to increase catalytic efficiency has been recently articulated(32) and the phenyl ring of cocaine is a convenient site for introducing a wide variety of modifications. The phenyl group may be replaced with a heterocycle such as a furanyl group. Alternatively, replacing the phenyl group with a pyridinium group might also elicit a carboxylate group which could provide general base catalysis and this would be a variation on the recently described “bait and switch” strategy for analog design(30). One may synthesize several of these possibilities using the tetrazole catalysis method, mindful of the deleterious effect that excessive substrate attenuation will have on the K_(m).

(iii) Induction of Intramolecular General Acid-base Catalysis.

Enzymes achieve high turnover rates through concerted use of several catalytic mechanisms including strain, entropic effects and acid-base catalysis. Catalytic antibodies induced by phosphonate esters may potentially utilize all these mechanisms. However, as alluded to earlier, the antibodies are elicited by overall binding affinity and proper array of interactions for strong catalysis may not be present. However, complex substrates which possess acidic or basic groups suggests a solution to this problem of not being able to specifically control those groups participating in the catalysis. One may properly

elicit catalytic antibody could, through its overall binding characteristics, position the acidic or basic groups of the substrate itself to provide general acid-base catalysis for the substrate's hydrolysis. For example, the amine of cocaine is protonated to an ammonium ion at physiologic pH and for steric reasons, the proton is oriented toward the benzoyl ester. However, also for steric reasons the benzoyl group is likely to be oriented away from the ammonium group. Nonetheless, an antibody elicited by a transition-state analog such as 13 could, through its overall binding, bring the benzoyl group of cocaine into proximity with the ammonium group and favor intramolecular general acid-base catalysis. For analogs in which carbon is substituted for nitrogen, the corresponding antibody binding pocket would be hydrophobic at this site and this environment would be expected to increase the acidity of the ammonium group and thus increase its capacity to participate in acid catalysis(22). This strategy could increase the efficiency of eliciting catalytic antibodies as well as contribute to a high turnover rate in those identified. Thus, one may construct transition state analogs of general structures 13, 14 and 15 to explore the possibility of rationally directed acid-base catalysis.

Many routes to these analogs are possible. On may anticipate that much exploratory chemistry may be needed. One may anticipate the utility of induction of intramolecular acid-base catalysis to the difficult problem of eliciting artificial enzymes for protein hydrolysis.

9. Characterization of Artificial Enzymes

One may generate anti-analog antibodies, produce them in quantity through malignant ascites, purify them chromatographically and screen them for enzymatic activity; active enzymes may be examined by kinetic studies to obtain the relevant parameters (K_(m) and K_(cat)) for assessment of in vivo applications; and document enzyme specificity. Subordinate objectives of methodological or theoretical significance include new screening methods for catalytic antibodies and the investigation of catalysis for selected enzymes.

i. Production and Identification of Enzymatic Antibodies

One may generate murine monoclonal antibodies as each transition state analog becomes available according to the methods previously described. Thus, BALB/c mice (6) may be immunized with ligand bound to KLH (100 μg) in adjuvant, boosted at two week intervals and bled 12-14 days after each boost. A mouse with anti-analog titer of at least 1:1000 by Elisa may be sacrificed and the spleen harvested and minced. The splenocytes, after washing and assessment of viability, may be fused with appropriately prepared NSI cells using PEG1500. The cells may be plated over 10 96-well plastic plates and Elisa assay media may identify anti-analog antibody. In order to exclude antibodies with binding activity to the tether used to attach the analog to the carrier for immunization, we may add a control containing just the tether attached to the carrier for the Elisa. The anti-analog antibody producers may be cloned out by the limiting dilution method.

Purification of the anti-analog monoclonals entails production by injecting hybridoma cells into a pristane treated mouse peritoneum followed by precipitation and chromatographic purification. In the standard approach, only then would enzymatic activity be tested for. Initially, one may take this approach for all secretors of anti-analog IgG antibody in order to establish a standard against which to assess early screening approaches. Thus, each malignant ascites may be assessed by gel electrophoresis for a new band indicative of monoclonal antibody production. If response is poor then tumor masses will be lightly minced and reinjected into mice. When response is adequate, the IgG monoclonal antibody may be purified by (a) precipitation with dropwise addition of saturated ammonium sulfate; (b) anion exchange chromatography on DEAE-sephacel with gradient salt elution; and (c) affinity purification on a protein G-sepharose® column with conditions as appropriate for the IgG subtype. The purified antibody may be dialyzed into pH 7.4 phosphate reaction buffer and protein concentration determined by a bicinchonic acid (BSA) assay and the molar concentration estimated by assuming a molecular weight of 150,000 for IgG. We may assay aliquots of a reaction mixture constituted with antibody and ¹⁴C-cocaine, at intervals using our assay for benzoyl hydrolysis as described previously one may also study in detail antibodies resulting in ¹⁴C benzoic acid production over that of a control without antibody.

Development of Early Screening Methods.

To identify catalytic antibodies only after ascites formation and antibody purification is time consuming. One approach would be to assay ascites directly for esterase activity in order to avoid chromatography on non-enzymes. Although, as demonstrated hereinabove, ascites per se is not cocaine esterase positive, a concern regarding false positives is justified and not until anti-analog antibodies are purified may one be able to evaluate the false positive and false negative rates. A second approach would be to assess monoclonal supernatants from single wells of 96 well plates, thus obviating both ascites formation and chromatography on non-enzymes. As a microscale technique, one may attach ¹⁴C-(aromatic)-cocaine to affi-gel beads using the same site of attachment and same tether as for the analog (3) that elicited the antibody. Incubation of the beads bearing labeled cocaine and the hybridoma medium overnight followed by mechanical separation of the medium for scintillation counting of released ¹⁴C benzoic acid would provide a measure of anti-cocaine hydrolytic activity. In either early screening approach, if false positives were detected, we would repeat the assay with fluoride and eserine, inhibitors of natural esterases.

ii. Kinetic Studies.

One may study the steady-state kinetics of active enzymes by standard methods to obtain the parameters K_(m) and k_(cat) (turnover rate) relevant to clinical use as described previously. One may observe saturation kinetics and inhibition by analog with all antibodies. Thus, purified monoclonal antibody as obtained above will be diluted into ½ ml of 500 mM EPPS pH 7.4, 100 mm NaCl to a final protein concentration of 0.1 μM-10 μM. No co-solvents are anticipated and the temperature will be maintained at 37°±0.1° C. ¹⁴C-(aromatic) cocaine from a stock ethanol solution will be aliquoted, evaporated, taken up in ½ cc of identical EPPS buffer and at time zero added to the enzyme at a final cocaine concentration of 0.5 mM-5 mM.

Aliquots may be removed at intervals and quenched by dilution into pH2 HCl with partitioning of ¹⁴C-benzoic acid and scintillation counting as described previously. Initial linear rates may be measured (<5% hydrolysis of total substrate). The observed rate may be corrected for the minor spontaneous hydrolysis rate. Kinetic parameters V_(max) and K_(m) may be determined by non linear least-square fitting of the initial rate vs substrate concentration to a curve described by the Michaelis-Menten equation.

Elucidation of Mechanisms of Catalysis.

For the most active enzyme, particularly if elicited by one of the novel analogs, the detailed mechanism of catalysis would be of theoretical interest. One may localize the catalytic activity to the F_(ab) fragment. One may gain insight into the participating functional groups of the enzyme by analysis of the pH dependence of k_(cats) and by the effect of amino acid-specific chemical modification. Labeling studies such as with ¹⁸OH₂, will confirm a tetrahedral intermediate and D₂O/pH dependence analysis may suggest a multistep process. A detailed mechanistic analysis and rationally designed site-directed mutagenesis may be needed to generate a pharmaceutical grade artificial enzyme.

iii. Specificity of the Catalytic Antibodies.

The substrate specificity of catalytic antibodies is generally excellent and reflects the power of immunorecognition. However, the effect of natural cocaine metabolites such as methyl ecgonine and nor-N-methyl ecgonine, whether as substrates or inhibitors must be assessed. Also, ethyl cocaine has recently been identified as an active cocaine metabolite in those who co-abuse ethanol and cocaine (51). An analog such as 3 would be very likely to elicit catalytic antibodies that would accept ethyl cocaine as a substrate. However, the antibodies derived from analogs with the methyl ester of cocaine intact are less predictable and we will synthesize ¹⁴C-ethyl cocaine and study its hydrolysis by the artificial enzymes directly.

Synthesis of analogs and kinetic analyses would continue until one identified an artificial enzyme with in vivo effectiveness as discussed below.

3. Investigation of in Vivo Effects of Artificial Enzymes Against Cocaine.

A catalytic antibody against cocaine with a turnover rate of less than 0.2 sec⁻¹ and a K_(m) of greater than 50 μM might still be clinically useful as outlined and would certainly be a candidate for an in vivo study. In fact, at least initially one may test in vivo all active enzymes. Since the capacity to metabolize cocaine is a function of both the intrinsic activity of the antibody and the quantity of antibody present, increased antibody doses can compensate within practical limits for lower activity. The practical limits include the volume of infusate, the solubility of the protein and the viscosity of the solution. In order to avoid the complication of antibody clearance via a host response, in vivo studies may be restricted to Balb/C mice with the one exception being an assay requiring frequent blood drawing. Since the artificial enzyme approach relies on interception of cocaine before it partitions into the CNS, a blunting of the magnitude and rate of rise of serum cocaine levels appear to be the best measure of efficacy. This approach finesses the vexed question of the suitability and interpretability of the various animal models of cocaine reinforcement. One may examine the capacity of the artificial antibodies to alter direct effects of cocaine administration. One may subject candidate artificial enzymes to the (i) assessment of the direct toxicity of the antibody to mice (ii) modulation of blood cocaine levels in vivo both for acute and, if successful, late-term and chronic cocaine administration (iii) alteration of sterotyping threshold and pattern.

i. Antibody Toxicity in Mouse

In this set of experiments, male and female BALB/c mice of 15-20 g. One may run toxicity tests in randomly selected groups of 4 males and 4 females infused i.v. with a fixed dose of antibody preparation. One may start with a dose of 20 mg/kg and if toxicity is observed, then one may decrease the dose to determine the threshold. A total of 3 groups of 4 males and 4 females may be tested at a given dose of antibody. Control animals may receive i.v. saline. One may examine all animals for changes in their gross appearance and behavior. Double-blind observations may be rated from 1-5 by two observers.

Qualitative Observations of Behavior.

One may conduct observations twice daily, at 10:00 AM and at 3:00 PM, for 15 min. each time. Among the subjectively observed parameters include: the condition of the fur, skin vibrissae, eyes and tail, frequency and character of excreta, response to handling, activity in home cage, body tonus and tremors, if any, social interactions, spontaneous motility, grooming behavior, rotary motions and other indicia of stereotype. The qualitative observations will be confirmed by quantitative measurements of weight, fluid intake, locomotor activity, seizure activity, if any, and neuronal deficits, if any.

Specific Quantitative Toxicology Tests.

General. One may record weight change and fluid intake daily at 10:30 AM.

Locomotor activity: One may test animals in a 4-channel automated Opto-Varimex Mini (Columbus Instruments, Columbus, Ohio)

Total daily activity: One may keep individual animals for 24 hrs in activity cages equipped with a rotating drum and a revolution counter.

Neurological deficit/motor impairment (estimation of a toxic dose): A dose of the antibody which causes half the animals to fall off the rotorod apparatus (Ugo Basile, Comerio, Italy) would be rated as 50% toxic or TD-50. Such toxicity is not anticipated.

ii. The Effect of Catalytic Antibodies on Serum Cocaine Levels.

One may investigate the effect of anti-cocaine catalytic antibody on serum cocaine levels in two assays. A protocol in rat may allow assay at multiple early time points but may be restricted to acute antibody administration due to the possibility of a host versus antibody reaction. An assay in mouse may yield a less detailed serum cocaine profile but may be adaptable to long-term studies. The serum samples may be assayed for cocaine by standard methods(44) acid-base extraction and quantitative gas chromatography with comparison against standards.

Cannulated Rat Model.

The clinical efficacy of the artificial enzyme may depend on altering cocaine peak height or simply the rate of rise to the peak. Thus one may require a protocol providing good time resolution. The mouse is not suitable for multiple blood withdrawals but a rate with a central venous/right heart catheter would suffice and this method is standard(55). Thus adult CD COBS rat, 200-225 g, may be anesthetized with diethyl ether. The superior cranial surface and a metal plate with attachment for a sheath and a central catheter cemented to the bone with epoxy resin. The skin of the superior ventral thorax may be incised and dissected to expose the right external jugular vein. Loose ligatures may be placed around the vein. The flexible plastic catheter may be threaded through the opening of the metal plate and tunnelled under the skin to the superior thorax. The internal jugular may be incised between the ligatures after tying off the superior one. The catheter may be threaded into the jugular to the right atrium and the lower ligature may be tied to secure it. One may flush the catheter with heparin and the incision closed. After the animal has recovered from surgery, it would receive an i.v. injection of the antibody and one hour later an i.v. injection (tail) of cocaine. Blood samples of 40 μl-100 μl may be withdrawn every 15-30 sec, treated with dilute acid to stop further enzymatic activity and preserved on ice for analysis. One may compare the serum cocaine profile of control animals with that of animals pretreated with the antibody for differences in peak level, rate of rise to the peak and duration of 50+% peak level. The dose of antibody and the dose of cocaine will be varied independently to define the dose-response relationships.

Mouse Model.

A cannulated rat assay may demonstrate a difference between antibody-treated and untreated animals in terms of the cocaine peak height, time to peak, or duration of >50% peak level, if so, then one may pursue similar measurements in mouse where the time-resolution will be poorer. One may separate BALB/c mice, male and female, 15-25 g, at random into groups of 4 males and 4 females. Half the animals may receive an i.v. injection of the antibody, half may receive saline, all may receive a single subcutaneous injection of cocaine 1 hr. after the antibody. Groups would be guillotined at 3,6,9,12 and 15 min. after cocaine administration and exsanguinated from the heart for cocaine assay. The interval between administration of the antibody and the cocaine would be increased to define the duration of enzyme effectiveness.

iii. Effect of the Antibody on Cocaine Toxicity in Vivo.

If one observes an alteration in the serum cocaine profile and if the antibody itself is not toxic at the effective dose, then an almost unlimited range of behavioral experiments may be possible. One may begin with the simplest—the blocking of an acute, direct effect of cocaine. Thus BALB/c mice selected and treated with the antibody (at a dose demonstrated to modulate the serum cocaine profile) or saline as above may receive one hour later a notice of intravenous cocaine previously demonstrated to elicit stereotype in 50% of untreated animals(56). A shift in the threshold for the cocaine-induced behavior would be sought.

Statistical Analysis. demonstrated to elicit stereotype in 50% of untreated animals(56). A shift in the threshold for the cocaine-induced behavior would be sought.

Statistical Analysis.

All values will be presented as means±SD. One way ANOVA will be performed on all sets of data. Where the F-values indicate significant differences (p<0.05), all combinations of paired Student t values will be calculated to obtain significant differences between treated and control groups.

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22. K. M. Shokat, et al., “A new strategy for the generation of catalytic antibodies”, Nature 338:269-271 (1989).

23. B. L. Iverson and R. A. Lerner, “Sequence-specific peptide cleavage catalyzed by an antibody”, Science 243:1184-1188 (1989).

24. T. Kitazume, et al., “Antibody-catalyzed double steroselection in fluorinated materials”, J. Am. Chem Soc. 113:8573-8575 (1991).

25. A. G. Cochran, et al., “Antibody-Catalyzed biomolecular formation”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113:6670-6672 (1991).

26. K. D. Janda, et al., “Catalytic antibodies with acyl-transfor capabilities: Mechanistic and kinetic investigations”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113:291-197 (1991).

27. A. Tramontano, et al., “Chemical reactivity at an antibody binding site elicited by mechanistic design of a synthetic antigen”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 83:6736-6740 (1986).

28. K. D. Janda et al. “Catalytic antibodies with lipase activity and R or S substrate selectivity”, Science 244:437-440 (1989).

29. A. Tramontano et al., “Antibody catalysis approaching the activity of enzymes”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110:2282-2286 (1988).

30. K. D. Janda et al., “Antibody bait and switch catalysis: A survey of antigens capable of inducing abzymes with acyl-transfer properties”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113:5427-5434 (1991).

31. E. Baldwin and P. G. Schultz, “Generation of a catalytic antibody by site-directed mutagenesis” Science 245:1104-1107 (1989).

32. K. D. Janda, et al., “Substrate attenuation: An approach to improve antibody catalysis”, Tetrahedron 47:2503-2506 (1991).

33. R. A. Fujii, et al., “Enantiofacial protonation by catalytic antibodies”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113:8538-8529 (1991).

34. R. D. Spealman, et al., “Effects of cocaine and related drugs in nonhuman primates II stimulant effects on schedule—control behavior”, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 251:142-149.

35. J. Ambre, et al., “Urinary excretion of ecgonine methyl ester, a major metabolite of cocaine in humans”, J. Analytical Toxicology 8:23-25 (1984).

36. J. Ambre, “The urinary excretion of cocaine and metabolites in humans: A kintic analysis of published data”, J. Anal. Toxicol. 9:241-245 (1985).

37. R. A. Lerner, et al., “At the crossroads of chemistry and immunology: Catalytic antibodies”, Science 252:457-458 (1987).

38. P. G. Schultz, “The interplay between chemistry and biology in the design of enzymatic catalysts”, Science 240:426-433 (1988).

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Second Series of Experiments

Antibody-catalyzed Degradation of Cocaine

Immunization with a phosphonate monoester transition-state analog of cocaine provided monoclonal antibodies capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of the cocaine benzoyl ester group. An assay for the degradation of radiolabeled cocaine identified active enzymes. Benzoyl esterolysis yields ecgonine methyl ester and benzoic acid, fragments devoid of cocaine's stimulant activity. Passive immunization with such an artificial enzyme could provide a treatment for dependence by blunting reinforcement.

Addiction to cocaine afflicts Western populations in epidemic proportions and the exceptional reinforcing effect of cocaine renders this stimulant abuse most resistant to treatment (1). Cocaine reinforces self-administration in relation to the peak serum concentration of the drug, the rate of rise to the peak and the degree of change of the serum level (2). The drug rapidly partitions from serum into the central nervous system (CNS) and binds specifically to re-uptake carriers for several monoamine neurotransmitters (3). The function of these presynaptic transporters appears to be the inactivation of released neurotransmitter (4). The receptor that mediates the reinforcing effect of cocaine corresponds to its binding site for competitive inhibition of dopamine re-uptake (5). This re-uptake inhibition is hypothesized to potentiate dopaminergic neurotransmission in mesolimbocortical pathways and ultimately result in reinforcement (6). Direct antagonists of cocaine-induced reinforcement do not exist currently and agents promoting abstinence such as desipramine have an induction period of several weeks (7).

As an alternative to therapeutic approaches based on the pharmacology of the cocaine receptor, the delivery of cocaine to its receptor could be interrupted. Antibodies against opiates were found to antagonize the reinforcing effect of heroin in a paradigm of drug self-administration in rhesus monkey (8). However, while successful in extinguishing heroin self-administration at low doses of heroin, these antibodies failed for repetitive high doses due to depletion of circulating antibody by complex formation.

The recent development of catalytic antibodies (9) provides a potential solution to the problem of antibody depletion. Immunization with a stable analog of the evanescent transition-state structure of a chemical reaction can yield monoclonal antibodies with the capacity to catalyze the modeled reaction (10). A catalytic antibody could bind, catalyze a deactivating transformation, and release the inactive products with the antibody freed for further binding. Of all the commonly abused substances, cocaine is the best candidate for the catalytic antibody approach. Hydrolysis of cocaine's benzoyl ester by a catalytic antibody would yield ecgonine methyl ester and benzoic acid, fragments that retain none of cocaine's stimulant or reinforcing activities (11). Antibodies with esterase activity approaching that of natural enzymes have been reported (12) and cocaine's benzoyl ester side group with its large hydrophobic surface is particularly suited to elicit antibodies with strong binding and catalytic activity.

The transition state of the benzoyl ester cleavage reaction likely resembles the tetrahedral intermediate of second-order ester hydrolysis (13) and can be stably mimicked in terms of geometry and charge distribution by a suitably designed phosphonate monoester (9,14) (FIG. 2). Transition-state analogs based on the phosphonate monoester functional group have yielded the highest activity artificial esterases (12), but these analogs can idiosyncratically fail to elicit catalytically active antibodies and so the rules for analog construction must be empirically defined (15). Recently described strategies to increase the frequency of obtaining enzymatic antibodies include the “bait and switch” (16) and substrate attenuation (15). However, these approaches incorporate additional foreign structural elements into the analog, and divergence between analog and substrate results on average in enzymes with higher K_(m) values.

Thus as a starting point we chose to construct a high fidelity analog differing from cocaine only by the phosphonate replacement and by the incorporation of a tether for the preparation of an immunogenic conjugate. The methyl ester group was chosen for the tether site given its distance from the anticipated locus of hydrolysis and its ease of synthesis. Based on these considerations, we synthesized transition-state analog 1a (analog 3) starting from the readily available cocaine metabolite (−)-ecgonine (FIG. 3). We developed a new method (17) for phosphonate ester synthesis by 1H-tetrazole catalysis since available methods (18) failed to transform alcohol 2 due to its base lability and steric hindrance. Tetrazole selectively catalyzes monoaddition of 1⁰ and 2⁰ alcohols to phosphonic dichlorides to yield mixed phosphonate diesters (2→3) under mild conditions. A ¹⁴C-label was incorporated into the tether (3→4) in order to permit monitoring of the coupling efficiency of the activated ester 5 to carrier protein. Immunizations of mice with 1a (analog 3) as a BSA conjugate elicited high titer antisera and monoclonal antibodies were prepared by standard protocols (19). Each fusion procedure yielded 10 to 30 hybridomas secreting analog-specific antibody as determined by ELISA. All IgG anti-analog antibodies were subcloned, propagated in ascites and affinity purified by protein A column chromatography (20).

A simple method was devised to screen the monoclonal antibodies for hydrolytic activity against the benzoyl ester linkage of cocaine. We synthesized ¹⁴C_(benzoyl)-cocaine (21) and found that upon acidification it partitioned into an aqueous phase with >97% efficiency whereas ¹⁴C-benzoic acid partitioned with similar efficiency into an organic phase. The reaction of radiolabeled cocaine with carboxyl esterase (Sigma) served as a positive control and we confirmed the production of benzoic acid by HPLC analysis (22). We applied the screening to the purified monoclonal antibodies and two antibodies out of 29 tested consistently released ¹⁴C-benzoic acid above background: 3B9 and 6A12. (Monoclonal 1C1 requires high pH for maximal activity and, perhaps due to instability under these conditions, catalysis was observed inconsistently) Both enzymes were completely inhibited by 50 μM of free transition-state analog 1b and unaffected by the serum esterase inhibitor eserine (23) (1 mM); the Fab portion of each antibody retained catalytic activity (24).

Using a higher specific activity ³H_(phenyl)-cocaine (25) (32 Ci/mmol), we determined the rate of hydrolysis in the presence and absence of each monoclonal antibody as a function of substrate concentration. Release of radiolabeled ³H_(phenyl)-benzoic acid at time points corresponding to <5% reaction provided initial rates. We observed saturation behavior consistent with Michaelis-Menten kinetics and a linear Lineweaver-Burke plot for each enzyme (FIG. 4). The steady-state Michaelis-Menten parameters and the rate acceleration (k_(cat)/k_(o)) are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Kinetic parameters for the hydrolysis of ³H_(phenyl)-cocaine by monoclonal antibodies 3B9 and 6A12 and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). K_(m), the Michaelis constant; k_(cat): catalytic rate constant; k_(o): spontaneous rate. The rate of release of ³H_(phenyl)-benzoic acid was determined by the assay described in FIG. 4. The parameters for equine BChE hydrolysis (pH7.4) are derived from published sources (26).

k_(cat)/k_(o) K_(m) (μM) k_(cat) (min⁻¹) 3B9 490 ± 11  0.11 ± 0.01 540 6A12 1020 ± 500 0.072 ± 0.02 440 BChE 38 1.2

The activity of cocaine esterase mAb 3B9 is comparable to butyrylcholinesterase (26), the principal cocaine esterase in serum. Transition-state analog 1b inhibited mAb 3B9 with a K_(i) of <2 μM (27) and the enzyme's 10²-10³ rate acceleration corresponds in magnitude to the relative stabilization of the transition-state to the ground-state (K_(m)/K_(i)). Antibodies with more powerful catalytic mechanisms and rate accelerations of 10⁵-10⁶ can be identified by repetitive screening with 1a (analog 3) and its congeners (14,28).

Animal studies of antibody-induced extinction of repetitive cocaine self-administration (2), previously not feasible due to antibody depletion (8), are now possible using mAb 3B9. An antibody that merely bound cocaine would be depleted with the first dose whereas mAb 3B9, with one turnover in 9 min, will be regenerated by turnover. A standard minimum dosing interval of 10-15 min will allow for turnover but due to the modest activity of this first artificial cocaine esterase, near stoichiometric amounts of antibody will be required.

To estimate the characteristics of an antibody useful at a clinically practical dose of <1 g, we assume a dose of smoked crack cocaine of 100 mg, a peak pulmonary venous cocaine concentration of 10 μM-30 μM (29) and a 20 sec duration of reaction (the transit time from pulmonary to CNS capillaries). This simple model neglects the volume of distribution for cocaine and the threshold concentration for a biological effect which if included would reduce the kinetic requirements. Under these constraints a catalytic antibody against cocaine should ideally have a turnover number >2 sec⁻¹ and a K_(m)<30 μM in order to deactivate cocaine before significant partitioning into the CNS has occurred. However, the protection afforded by the artificial esterase may not need to be complete in order to be useful and a significantly less potent enzyme could nonetheless diminish the reinforcing effect of cocaine by reducing the rate of rise and peak concentration of cocaine. By promoting cessation of use and maintenance of abstinence, passive immunization with an anti-cocaine catalytic antibody could provide a window for appropriate psychosocial and relapse prevention interventions.

References and Notes of the Second Series of Experiments

1. F. H. Gawin, E. H. Ellinwood, Jr., New Eng. J. Med. 318, 1173 (1988).

2. M. W. Fischman, J. Clin. Psychiatry 49(2,Suppl), 7 (1988); J. Bergman, B. K. Madras, S. E. Johnson, R. D. Spealman, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 251, 150 (1989); C. E. Johanson, in NIDA Res. Monogr. 50, J. Grabowski, ed. (U.S. Govt. Print. Off., Washington, D.C., 1984) pp54-71.

3. N. E. Goeders, J. E. Smith, Science 221, 773 (1983).

4. M. J. Kuhar, M. A. Zargin, J. Neurochem. 31, 251 (1975); A. S. Horn Prog. Neurobiol. 34, 387 (1990).

5. M. C. Ritz, R. J. Lamb, S. R. Goldberg, M. J. Kuhar, Science 237, 1219 (1987). Cocaine sensitive dopamine transporters have been cloned: S. Shimada, et al. Science 254, 2576 (1991); J. E. Kilty, D. Lorang, S. G. Amara, Science 254, 578 (1991).

6. M. J. Kuhar, M. C. Ritz, J. W. Boja, Trends Neurosci. 14, 299 (1991).

7. F. H. Gawin, et al., Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 117, (1989); M. W. Fischman, R. W. Foltin, G. Nestadt, G. D. Perlson, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 253, 760, (1990).

8. K. F. Bonese, B. H. Wainer, F. W. Fitch, R. M. Rothberg, C. R. Schuster, Nature 252, 708 (1974).

9. A. Tramontano, K. D. Janda, R. A. Lerner, Science 234, 1566 (1986); S. J. Pollack, J. W. Jacobs, P. G. Schultz, Science 234, 1570 (1986).

10. R. A. Lerner, S. J. Benkovic, P. G. Schultz, Science 252, 457 (1987).

11. R. D. Spealman, B. K. Madras, J. Bergman, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 251, 142 (1989).

12. A. Tramontano, A. A. Ammann, R. A. Lerner, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110, 2282 (1988); R. A. Lerner, S. J. Benkovic, P. G. Schultz, Science 152, 659 (1991).

13. M. L. Bender, Chem. Rev. 60, 53 (1960).

14. P. G. Schultz, Science 240, 426 (1988).

15. K. D. Janda, S. J. Benkovic, D. A. McLeod, D. M. Schloeder, R. A. Lerner, Tetrahedron 47, 2503 (1991).

16. K. D. Janda, M. I. Weinhouse, T. Danon, K. A. Pacelli, D. M. Schloeder, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113, 5427 (1991).

17. K. Zhao, D. W. Landry, Tetrahedron, 49, 363 (1993).

18. R. J. P. Corriu, F. Lanneau, D. Leclercq, Tetrahedron 36, 1617 (1980); K. D., Janda, S. J., Benkovic, R. A. Lerner, Science 244, 437 (1989); S. J. Pollack, P. Hsiun, P. G. Schultz, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113, 5961 (1989); S. Ikeda, M. I. Weinhouse, K. D. Janda, R. A. Lerner, S. Danishefsky, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 113, 776 (1991); I. Fujii, R. A. Lerner, K. D. Janda, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 113, 8528 (1991).

19. Six BALB/c mice were immunized with the analog-carrier 1a (analog 3) by both subcutaneous (30 μg) and intraperitoneal (120 μg) routes. Initial immunization was performed with 1:1 Freund's complete adjuvant and boosting injections were administered with incomplete adjuvant at 2-week intervals. The animals were phlebotomized (200 μL) on day 14 post boost and the plasma was separated from clot and stored at −78° C. In an ELISA assay plastic 96-well plates were coated with ester 5 coupled to ovalbumin (4 μg/well) and incubated with dilutions of serum. Goat anti-mouse IgG coupled to horseradish peroxidase was used as the secondary antibody and indicator. Negative controls included ovalbumin without ligand, non-immune test serum, omission of the test serum and omission of the secondary antibody. By the third boost, several mice had developed antibody titers of 1:3000. One of these was boosted by tail vein injection (50 μg, without adjuvant). On day 5 post boost, the spleen was harvested and hyridomas prepared. Colonies positive by ELISA for anti-analog antibodies were plated to limiting dilution and subtyped (mAb 3B9 and 6A12 were both subtyped to IgG₁).

20. For each of the cell lines, 2×10⁶ hybridoma cells were placed into a mouse peritoneum that had been pretreated with pristane. The harvested ascites was subjected to affinity chromatography on a preparative Protein A HPLC column (Pharmacia). (The purity of mAb 3B9 and 6A12 was >90% by SDS-PAGE.)

21. ¹⁴C_(benzoyl)-cocaine was synthesized from methyl ecgonine and ¹⁴C-benzoic acid via the acyl chloride. The specific activity was 111 μCi/mmol (Amersham Corp.).

22. The hydrolysis reaction mixture was analyzed by HPLC (Perkin-Elmer) with an analytical reverse-phase C₁₈ column (VYDAC) with an acetonitrile-water (0.1% trifluoroacetic acid) gradient and the detector set at 220 nM. We found the methyl ester of cocaine to spontaneously hydrolyze to benzoyl ecgonine with a t_(½)=20 h (pH 7). Thus, benzoyl ecgonine is not available as a benzoyl-esterase substrate at the early reaction times (<1 h) used in the detailed kinetic studies and released benzoic acid is attributed solely to cocaine hydrolysis.

23. D. J. Stewart, T. Inaba, B. Tang, M. Kalow, Life Sci. 20, 1557 (1977).

24. Unpublished data.

25. The ³H_(phenyl)-cocaine was synthesized via catalytic hydrogenation of 4′-iodococaine with high specific activity tritium gas under Pd/C catalysis (New England Nuclear). The 4′-iodococaine was obtained by coupling ecgonine methyl ester and 4-iodobenzoyl chloride under AgCN catalysis.

26. S. J. Gatley, Biochemical Pharmacol. 41, 1249 (1991).

27. One equivalent of ib reduced the rate of 3B9-catalyzed cocaine hydrolysis by ˜50%.

28. R. A. Lerner, A. S. Kang, J. D. Bain, D. R. Burton, C. F. Barbas, Science 258, 1313 (1992).

29. These concentrations are over 10-fold higher than peripheral venous concentrations and correspond to estimated CNS cocaine levels: J. S. Fowler, et al. Synapse 4, 371 (1989).

Third series of Experiments

1. Design and Synthesis of Transition-state Analogs

Literature precedent and the data from the preceding series of experiments argue that the phosphonate monoester transition-state analog 3 (see below) will yield several more catalytic antibodies with hydrolytic activity against cocaine. However, high activity antibodies are sought and the rate of success for this search has an element of chance. This stems from the fact that antibodies are elicited to an analog based on the overall antibody-antigen binding affinity whereas catalytic activity requires a much more specific array of binding interactions. A given antibody may bind well and yet lack the full array of interactions needed for strong catalysis. Also, catalytic antibodies that act only by stabilizing the transition state are limited in their rate acceleration (k_(cat)/k_(uncat)) to the relative binding affinity of antibody for transition-state (or T. S. analog) vs substrate (˜K_(m)/K_(i)) (26). Therefore, in the absence of fortuitous acid-base or covalent catalysis, k_(cat)/k_(uncat) will be low (10³-10⁴) and k_(cat) and K_(m) will vary (undesirably) in the same direction. Since our kinetic specifications are demanding we will attempt to increase the odds of rapidly identifying high activity antibodies by synthesizing and employing additional transition-state analogs. These analogs will be constructed along five lines: (i) use of alternate sites of attachment to carrier proteins; (ii) chemical modifications in the acyl portion of the analog; (iii) novel transition-state analogs that promote intramolecular acid-base catalysis and could serve as a model for a new generation of transition state analogs; (iv) a second novel class of covalent catalysis and would constitute another example of second generation transition-state analog design; and (v) anal utilizing alternative to the phosphonate ester group such as an oxide group.

(i) Alternate Site of Analog Attachment

The site of attachment on a small molecule to carrier protein affects the antigenicity of the immunogen and specificity in the elicited antibodies. Of particular concern for generating catalytic antibodies, the use of a site on the analog for attachment to carrier protein precludes eliciting antibodies that bind across that site on the actual substrate. For example, the methyl ester of cocaine would be unlikely to occupy a deep binding pocket in an antibody elicited by 3. To increase the range of

elicited antibodies, an analog with an alternate site of attachment at the 4′ position of the cocaine aromatic ring have been constructed (e.g 12) and an analog attached at the cocaine nitrogen (e.g. 18) can be synthesized. Each of these new analogs exposes a different surface which has the possibility of eliciting an antibody with the array of binding interactions necessary for hydrolysis.

For the synthesis of transition-state analog 18, N-alkylation of a nor-N-methyl ecgonine derivative, either before or after tetrazole catalyzed conversion of the alcohol group to a phosphonate ester, is expected to yield an intermediate easily converted to 18. Monoalkylation, rather than dialkylation to the quaternary ammonium salt is hoped to achieve, based on model assessments of steric hinderance but if necessary a deactivating alkylator such as an α-haloamide can be used.

With analogs 3, 12 and 18—all examples of the proven phosphonate monoester strategy for designing transition state analogs, it is expected to eventually obtain the desired high activity enzyme. To accelerate this search and to investigate new approaches to transition-state analog design, additional strategies are explored.

(ii) Acyl Modification, Substrate Attenuation and “Bait and Switch” Strategies.

Phosphonate monoester transition-state analogs are typically modeled closely to the structure of the target ester in order to maximize non-covalent binding interactions, and presumably catalytic activity, in the elicited antibodies. However, esterolysis by a catalytic antibody has been demonstrated in one instance to proceed through an acylated antibody intermediate whose hydrolysis was rate-limiting (20). In such a circumstance, structural differences between analog and substrate can increase the overall rate of ester hydrolysis by destabilizing the acyl-antibody intermediate. The general principle of substrate attenuation to increase catalytic efficiency has been recently articulated (32) and the phenyl ring of cocaine is a convenient site for introducing a wide variety of modifications. The phenyl group may be replaced with a heterocycle such as a furanyl group. Alternatively, replacing the phenyl group with a pyridinium group might also elicit a carboxylate group which could provide general base catalysis. This approach would be a variation on the recently described “bait and switch” strategy for analog design (30). Several of these possibilities using the tetrazole catalysis method, mindful of the deleterious effect that excessive substrate attenuation will have on the K_(m) can be synthesized.

Construction of acyl-modified transition-state analogs to proceed via the condensation of an alkyl ecgonine and the required aromatic phosphonate can be performed as per syntheses of 3 and 12. The required 2-furanyl phosphonic dichloride (A) has been reported (53) as has the 2-pyridyl phosphate (B) (54).

(iii) Induction of Intramolecular General Acid-base Catalysis.

Enzymes achieve high turnover rates through concerted use of several catalytic mechanisms including strain, entropic effects and acid-base catalysis. Catalytic antibodies induced by phosphonate esters may potentially utilize all these mechanisms. But as alluded to earlier, the antibodies are elicited by overall binding affinity and thus the proper array of interactions for strong catalysis may not be present. However, complex substrates which possess acidic or basic groups suggest to us a solution to this problem of not being able to specifically control those groups participating in the catalysis. It is proposed that properly elicited catalytic antibody could, through its overall binding characteristics, position the acidic or basic groups of the substrate itself to provide general acid-base catalysis for the substrate's hydrolysis. For example, the amine of cocaine is protonated to an ammonium ion at physiologic pH and for steric reasons the

proton is oriented toward the benzoyl ester. However, also for steric reasons the benzoyl group is likely to be oriented away from the ammonium group. Nonetheless, an antibody elicited by a transition-state analog such as 20 could through its overall binding bring the benzoyl group of cocaine into proximity with the ammonium group and favor intramolecular general acid-base catalysis. For analogs in which carbon is substituted for nitrogen, the corresponding antibody binding pocket may be hydrophobic at this site and this environment would be expected to increase the acidity of the ammonium group and thus increase its capacity to participate in acid catalysis (22). This strategy could increase the efficiency of eliciting catalytic antibodies as well as contribute to a high turnover rate in those identified. Thus, construction of several transition-state analogs of general structures 20, 21 and 22 is to explore this possibility of rationally directed acid-base catalysis. For analogs 21 and 22, the stability of model compounds containing the particular linkage to phosphorus may be examined and if unstable at pH7.4, the objectives may be modified accordingly.

Synthesis of 20 from nor-N-methyl ecgonine and (chloromethyl) phenyl phosphinic chloride which reacts with —OH and —NH₂ nucleophiles is envisioned. Nucleophilic attack at phosphorus is preferred (55) and, at least in the case of aromatic OH vs NH₂, the reaction with OH is more fascile (56). Thus 20 might be prepared directly from an appropriate alkyl nor-N-methyl ecgonine (Route A). Alternatively, stepwise construction beginning with attachment at either the tropane N (Route B) or at the C-3 hydroxyl group (Route C) and with appropriate

reorganization of protecting groups, would yield 20. Note that due to the umbrella effect (57) there is no need to concern with syn/anti isomerism at the tropane nitrogen and thus the configurations at nitrogen of the intermediates depicted in the syntheses of 20 and 21 are arbitrary.

For 21, N-oxidation of a nor-N-methyl ecgonine—with protection/deprotection of the C-3 hydroxyl group as needed—would yield the hydroxylamine derivative.

Reaction with phenyl phosphonic dichloride would yield the desired product. Analog 22 requires total synthesis and such a synthesis is proposed below for 22 in the context of a total synthesis of the related compound 24.

(iv) Induction of Intramolecular Covalent Catalysis.

By direct analogy to the arguments above in favor of the induction of intramolecular acid-base catalysis, the possibility of inducing intramolecular covalent catalysis is explored. Thus an antibody elicited by a transition-state analog such as 23 can through its overall binding energy bring the benzoyl group of cocaine into proximity with the tropane nitrogen. In equilibrium with the ammonium salt is the free amine and this amine can be capable of nucleophilic attack on the benzoyl carbonyl group. Precedent exist for the catalysis of ester hydrolysis by tertiary amines (58,59) and intramolecular catalysis maximizes the entropic driving force. The catalysis can be further enhanced if the antibody created a hydrophobic binding pocket about that nitrogen (22), thereby lowering the amine pKa and shifting the equilibrium toward the nucleophilic free base of cocaine. In this regard, note that the nitrogen of 23 is no longer basic and its complementary antibody binding site can likely be uncharged and relatively hydrophobic. On this basis of this analysis

two analogs proposed. Analog 23 can be easily available through condensation of phenyl phosphonie dichloride and a N-normethyl ecgonine (available through NIDA). If this compound proved unstable (the N—P bond can be labile and this can be assessed by serial ³²P nmr spectroscopy in D₂O at pH 7.4), then the carbon version 24 can be required. Additionally, analog 24 may permit retention of the methyl group corresponding to the N-methyl of cocaine.

Analogs 24 and 22 constitute all-carbon versions of the tropane [3.2.1] ring system. These analogs require total synthesis and the synthetic challenges are several: the syn/anti configuration of substituents at C-8 must be controlled; the configuration at C-3 is entailed in the construction of the C-8/C-3 bridge; and the axial configuration at C-2—thermodynamically disfavored and unstable (60)—must be controlled. A particularly elegant synthesis of cocaine (61,62) controlled C-2 and C-3 stereochemistry through an electrocyclic ring closure and an electrocyclic solution is proposed to problems in the all carbon system. Dicyclopentadiene A can be allylicly oxidized with selenium dioxide (63) followed by Collins reagent (64) and Arbuzov type Michael addition of a dialkyl phenyl phosphinate (66) would yield C. R═CH₃ with subsequent ester exchange with 3,3′dichloroallyl alcohol as well as explore the addition of the allyl phosphinate directly can be tried. Reduction of the ketone and elimination to the olefin (E₂ via the tosylate) can be followed by deconjugative alkylation (67) with methyl iodide to quarternize the carbon α to phophorus. The methyl ester of C may be required for the alkylation step since the allyl ester enolate could undergo [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement (68) or elimination of chloride. Compound D is a key intermediate and alternate routes can be employed as necessary, eg., Michael addition to B of trimethyl phosphite, conversion of the ketone to olefin, a methylation and then addition of phenyl lithium to the methyl phosphonochloridate derivative. Upon warming D to 170° C., it is expected a retro Diels Alder reaction followed by an intramolecular Diels Alder reaction to yield E with stereochemistry controlled at C₁, C₂, C₄ and C₇ (69). This route is similar to the one used to construct the tricyclic sesquiterpene, cedranediol, for doctoral dissertation of Dr. Donald W. Landry with Nobel

Laureate R. B. Woodward. Ag⁺ catalyzed solvolysis of the gem dichloride and catalytic hydrogenation of the olefin can yield F. Regioselective ring expansion with the sequence nitromethane addition/catalytic nitro reduction/diazotization can yield ketone G. β elimination is not likely since the α position is at a bridgehead but an alternative can be trimethylsilyl cyanide addition (70). Models suggest that addition of nitro methane from the less hindered β face will result in the appropriate regiochemistry (3-keto) for the ring expansion; also a related compound but with likely addition from the α face yielded the 4-keto regioisomer (70) predominately (75:25). As a last resort, the expedient of converting the 4-keto to 3-keto isomer can be employed. Reduction of the ketone group from the less hindered face can yield the alcohol H with the desired stereochemistry at C-3. Protection of the C-3 OH group, opening of the phosphinate, protection of the C-2 hydroxymethyl (or oxidizing it to the ester depending on the lability of C-2 stereochemistry) and re-esterifying at phosphorus with the C-3 hydroxyl group can yield the target 24 suitable for attachment to carrier protein. Note that 24 can be synthesized as a racemic mixture but resolution is not required since elicited antibodies can be screened for hydrolytic activity against the natural (−)-³H-cocaine and antibodies recognizing the unnatural configuration can appear as negative results (28).

22 can be approached by analogy to the proposed route to 24. A carbon ester in place of the phenyl phosphinate ester can ultimately yield an intermediate (H-2) corresponding to H and suitable for a Curtius, Hoffman or Schmidt acyl nitrene rearrangement (71) and functional group reorganization to yield 22.

(v) Analog Based on the Alternative to the Phosphonate Ester Group.

Catalytic antibodies with esterase activities have most frequently been derived through use of transition state analog based on the phosphonate ester group. However, useful alternatives to phosphonate esters are known as an example. One may synthesize cocaine transition state analogs based on the A-oxide group with general structure:

wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₃, or R₄ is independently hydrogen, or a lower alkyl; or wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is a lower alkyl azide group, a lower alkyl amine, a group comprising a lower alkyl group linked to a lower alkyl carboxylic acid or derivative, with each of the remaining two of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is independently hydrogen or a lower alkyl and R₄ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or a negative charge.

References and Notes of the Third Series of Experiments

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What is claimed is:
 1. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₃, or R₄ is independently hydrogen, or a lower alkyl; or wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃, is a lower alkyl substituted on the terminal carbon atom by an azido or amino group, a group comprising a lower alkyl group linked to a lower carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid derivative, wherein the carboxylic acid derivative is an amide or ester, with each of the remaining two of R₁, R₂, or R₃ is independently hydrogen or a lower alykl and R₄ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or a negative charge.
 2. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1 having the structure:


3. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1 having the structure:


4. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1 having the structure:


5. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1, wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃ has the structure:

wherein A which connects to said compound is a lower alkyl group and X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.
 6. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.
 7. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.
 8. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein R is a

or other 5 or 6 membered aromatic ring.
 9. An antibody capable of binding a transition state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.
 10. The antibody of claim 1, designated 3B9 produced by the hybridoma with ATCC Accession No. HB
 11313. 11. The antibody of claim 1, designated 6A12 produced by the hybridoma with ATCC Accession No. HB
 11314. 12. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₃, or R₄ is independently hydrogen, or a lower alkyl; or wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, R₃, is a lower alkyl substituted on the terminal carbon atom by an azido or amino group, a group comprising a lower alkyl group linked to a lower carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid derivative, wherein the carboxylic acid derivative is an aide or ester, with each of the remaining two of R₁, R₂, R₃ is independently hydrogen or a lower alykl and R₄ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or a negative charge.
 13. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1 having the structure:


14. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1 having the structure:


15. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1 having the structure:


16. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound of claim 1, wherein one but only one of R₁, R₂, or R₃ has the structure:

wherein A which connects to said compound is a lower alkyl group and X is a primary amino of a carrier protein.
 17. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.
 18. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.
 19. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein X is a primary amine of a carrier protein.
 20. An antibody capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of cocaine benzoyl ester group and directed against the compound having the structure:

wherein R is a

or other 5 or 6 membered aromatic ring. 